Arch-support.



S. L. PAKAS.

ARCH SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.22. 1911.

1,267,796. Patented May 28,1918.

I, 5 vwewtoz 5020772072 L. Palms SOLOMON L. PAKAS, OF SPUYTEN DUYVIL, NEW YORK.

ARCH-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedMay as, 1918.

Application filed August 22, 1917. Serial No. 187,620.

To all it may concern Be it known that I, SOLOMON L. PAKA's, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Spuyten Duyvil, in the county of New York and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arch-Supports, of which the followingis a specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to what are known as arch-supports or instep pads for the feet, and the object thereof is to provide a device of the class specified which will normally serve to support the arch of the feet and prevent straining thereof or the stretching of the ligaments or tendons by which the bones of the arch are connected thus causing, at times, great pain and distress, and

resulting in what is known as flat feet; a further object being to provide a device of the class specified which possesses great natural elasticity, and which may be placed in position and held in position by the socks or stockings or, in other words, may be worn inside the socks or stockings, and which may also be used in other ways, if desired; and with these and other objects in view the invention consists in a device or devices of the class specified, constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which:-

' Figure 1 is an inside view of one of my improved foot arch supports; Fig. 2 a transverse section on the/line 2-2 of Fig. l, and showing a modification;.

Fig.3 an inside view of one of thefeet, the

i right foot, and showing my improved arch support r pad in position withthe vsock or stocking drawn on over the foot, and the arch support or pad, and showing a part of the sock or stocking broken away;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the foot in a shoe;

Fig. 5 a section on the line 77 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 a section on the line 8-8 of Fig.4.

In the practice of my invention I provide a pad a shown in Fig.1 and which'is composed of sponge rubber, a material which is cellular in construction and which is soft,

flexible and highly compressible, and at the same time highly elastic, and which is molded, or-otherwise formed, so that the top surface thereof will exactly fit the sub-arch space or instep space in the bottom of the foot and the vertical and transverse dimensi'on's of which are such that when placed in position in the sub-arch or instep space, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, it projects below the bottom of the foot and also inwardly of the inner side thereof at all points, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 5.

A pad may be formed of different sizes and dimensions and the vertical and transverse dimensions thereof must be such that when in position and before being compressed by the shoe such pad will extend much below the bottom of the foot and even below the heel, and below the ball of the foot in front of the instep or sub-arch space and on the inner side of the foot, aS above set out.

In the accompanying drawing, a stocking- .is indicated at b, a shoe at 0 and the foot at e, and in the use of this device the pad is placed in position beneath the foot 6, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, and the stocking Z is drawn on over the foot and the stocking holds the pad in position and the shoe 0 may then be drawn on, as shown in Fig. 5, and when the shoe is drawn on, the pad is compressed to a great extent both vertically and transversely even before any weight is thrown onto the foot, but when weight is thrown upon the foot, the pad is still more compressed, and this increases the pressure of the pad on the bottom of the foot and causes it to firmly support the instep or arch portion of the foot as will be readily .under-,

,arch support is found in the fact that the transverse dimensions thereof are such that before the pad is compressed by the shoe, it projects beyond the inner s de of the foot as shown at d in Fig. 5, and below the bottom of the foot as shown in Fig. 3, and when the shoe is drawn on, the pad is compressed inwardly as shown at (Z in Fig. 6, as well as vertically, as shown in Fig. 6, and this compound compression of'the pad both transversely and vertically facilitates the opera tion thereof and the production ofv the desired results.

"It will also be observed that the inside portion of the pad which is the thickest partthereof, is extended upwardly to form a raised or flanged portion whereby it is adapted to more nicely fit that part of the foot to which it is applied, and this extends along the entire inner side edge portion of the pad from a to a and this also aids in holding the pad in proper position, and aids in the operation thereof, and also causes the shoe to fit more snugly and smoothly at the side of the foot beneath which the pad is placed.

By making the pad entirely of sponge rubber, l secure the greatest possible natural elasticity, and a pad which can be thoroughly washed and cleaned at any time, and a new pad or pads may be substituted for old ones, whenever desired.

The top surface of the pad may also be provided, in the making thereof, with an integral, flexible waterproof cover as shown at a in Fig. 52, and this will increase the life of the pad and facilitate its use, as a pad made in this manner will be-inore comfortable when in use than one having a porous top surface formed by the material from which the pad is made. i l

i am aware that food pads of the class specified have heretofore been made of a form somewhat similar to mine and conthat has been made and intended for use ina stocking or sock, as herein described, and held in place by said stockingor sock, nor

are l aware of any such device that could be so used, and my invention is not only limited to the material 01 which the pad is composed, but it is also limited to the form and vertical and transverse dimensions thereof, as herein shown and described.

Having fully described my invention, what i claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A foot arch pad composed of sponge rubher, having its upper surfaces of a. contour similar to that of the bottoinpf the foot arch and its bottom surface convex so that when the pad is inplace on the foot and 111160111 pressed, such bottom surface will extend a considerable distance beyond the plane contacting the heel and ball surfaces of the foot, all the dimensions of the pad except the longitudinal dimensions being considerably greater than the corresponding dimensions of the arch space.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention 1 have signed myname in presence of the subscribing witnesses this th day of August, 191?.

. Tnorrrson. 

